The Greensburg YMCA is offering residents a chance to counteract the stresses of the holiday season with a series of new yoga and sound therapy sessions.

“Peace on Earth Sound and Yin Yoga” will be available in four, hourlong weekly sessions beginning at 7 p.m. Monday

Sound therapy is effective at triggering relaxation responses, according to Brenda Willett, director of sports and wellness at the Y.

Jeffrey Donegan of Peaceful Warrior Yoga will lead a 40-minute yin yoga session and a 20-minute “sound bath” each evening.

Yin yoga, Donegan said, involves body positions that are low to the floor and are conducive to a meditative state. He said the sound bath is generated by touching the rims of seven crystal bowls with a mallet to create resonating tones.

“The sound penetrates your body and has a lot of healing attributes,” Donegan said. “It’s very soothing. It brings us back to the natural state of being and calm that we always yearn for.”

Participants are required to bring their own mats. They also are encouraged to bring a pillow or bolster and a blanket.

The cost for Y members is $15 per session, or $50 for all four sessions. Others will pay respective fees of $25 and $75.

Registration is required by visiting greensburgymca.org.

Other programs coming

Registration also is underway for two other new wellness-oriented classes at the Y that carry fees.

“Get Moving… Jump Start Your Motivation” will run for six weeks, from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, beginning Jan. 8. The program is meant to provide support and encouragement for participants to overcome obstacles and strive for excellence in and out of the gym.

A four-week “Weightlifting Basics” seminar covers safety and etiquette in the weight room. It will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 24.

“There is such a strong interest across the country in health and wellness, and it is growing,” Willett said.

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